by Kevin Zimmermann
UNDATED (WHBL) – Kohler Company has cleared one more hurdle in its plans to convert 247 acres of land adjacent to Kohler Andrae State Park into a golf course. On Friday, the State Supreme Court affirmed that the Circuit Court did not err when it concluded that the process of annexation of land by the City of Sheboygan from the Town of Wilson met the statutory contiguity requirements set forth in State Statutes, satisfied the rule of reason and complied with the signature and certification requirements established by the State.
Kohler had petitioned for that annexation, determining that the golf course would not be developed if the land remained in the boundaries of the Town of Wilson. According to court documents, Kohler had independently designed the boundaries of the territory subject to annexation without the City’s assistance. That territory in some places was as narrow as 190 feet, but allowed Kohler to satisfy a rule that requires at least one-half of residents in the territory approve annexation. The Town, in turn, filed the declaratory judgement action to challenge the annexation.
Although this clears Kohler to again move forward, a group called the Friends of the Black River Forest is actively working to stop construction of the course, which would involve taking several acres of the current state park for access and maintenance, and also require excavation of the environmentally-sensitive dune and swale terrain of the lakeshore.
Friends of the Black River Forest recently got a grant to support their efforts from the outdoor apparel company Patagonia.
